Chyavana () was a sage (rishi) in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

. He was a son of Bhrigu, also known as Bhrigu Varuni in the

Upanishads The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hind ...

, and is known for his rejuvenation through a special herbal paste (ayurvedic jam) or tonic known as '' chyavanaprasham'', which was prepared by the

Ashvins The Ashvins (, ), also known as the Ashvini Kumaras and Asvinau,, §1.42. are Hindu deities, Hindu Divine twins, twin gods associated with medicine, health, healing, sciences, and the twilight. In the ''Rigveda'', they are described as youthf ...

. According to the ''

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

'', he was powerful enough to oppose the celestial thunderbolt (''

vajra The Vajra (, , ), is a legendary and ritualistic tool, symbolizing the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). It is also described as a "ritual weapon". The use of the bell and vajra together as s ...

'') of

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

, and was responsible for the

getting their share of the sacrificial offerings. He created an

asura Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...

, Mada, to achieve it. Chyavana (with a different spelling: च्यवान Cyavāna) is also mentioned in the ''

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from wikt:ऋच्, ऋच्, "praise" and wikt:वेद, वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian Miscellany, collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canoni ...

'', where he is described as an aged and feeble person whose youth and strength was restored by the twin Aśvins (RV VII.68:6). According to Rigveda X.61:1-3, Cyavāna is a weak opponent of Tūrvayāṇa, an Indra worshipper and a

Paktha Pakthas or Pakhtas was an ancient Vedic Indo-Aryan tribe living in the northern borderlands of South Asia. They are considered to be one of the possible ancestors of modern Pakhtun people. They are sometimes identified with the "Pactyans" of H ...

king, as the former was closer to the Ashvins. According to one tradition, he married Vaivasvata Manu's daughter Arushi. Their son was Aurva. According to another tradition, he married Sukanyā, daughter of Vedic king Sharyati and granddaughter of Vaivasvata Manu. They had two sons: Apnavana and Dadhicha. He is also considered as the father of Harita and Uddalaka Varuni.

Legend

Birth

According to an account found in the ''

'' (''

Adi Parva The Adi Parva ("Book of the Beginning") is the first of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. "Ādi" (wiktionary:आदि#Sanskrit, आदि) in Sanskrit means "first". Adi Parva traditionally has 19 parts and 236 ' ...

'', Ch.5-6), when Bhrigu's wife Puloma was pregnant and lived in her hermitage, a ''

rakshasa Rākshasa (, , ; ; "preservers") are a race of usually malevolent beings prominently featured in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Folk Islam. They reside on Earth but possess supernatural powers, which they usually use for evil acts such as ...

'' harassed her. Puloma's child slipped from her womb, called a 'chyuta' child in Sanskrit ("early delivery") and thus received his name Chyavana. The ''rakshasa'' released the mother after seeing the child drop, but immediately got converted into ashes. Chyavana studied the ''Vedas'' from his father and later acquired the knowledge of ''Vedas'' from

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

. He subsequently became a ''Brahmarshi''.

Austerities and rejuvenation

The earliest version of the narrative of Chyavana's practice of austerities and subsequent restoration of youth is found in the ''

Brahmanas The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

''. A later version of this narrative is found in the ''Mahabharata''. More later versions are found in the ''

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' (; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam)'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' () or simply ''Bhagavata (Bhāgavata)'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen major Puranas (''Mahapuranas'') and one ...

'' and the ''

Padma Purana The ''Padma Purana'' (, or ) is one of the eighteen Puranas#Mahapuranas, Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brahma appeared, and includes large sections dedic ...

''.

''Brahmanas''

In a narrative found in the '' Satapatha Brahmana'' (IV.1.5.1-13), Chyavana is mentioned as a descendant of Bhrigu. While the other Bhrigus were away, Chyavana, with a senile body, was living in his

ashram An ashram (, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions, not including Buddhism. Etymology The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (< Kayakalpa'. A special herbal paste, chyavanaprasham, was prepared for the rishi to take as a medicine. In return, the Ashvins obtained a share in the sacrificial offerings in Kurukshetra on her suggestion. In the Aitareya Brahmana (VIII.21.4), the inauguration of Sharyata by him is compared with

's coronation.

Mahabharata

According to the narrative found in the

Vana Parva The Vana Parva ("Book of the Forest") is the third of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic ''Mahabharata''.van Buitenen, J.A.B. (1975) ''The Mahabharata: Book 2: The Book of the Assembly Hall; Book 3: The Book of the Forest''. Chicag ...

(Ch.122-5) of the Mahabharata, Chyavana was so absorbed in practising austerities on the side of a lake that termites built up their mound all over his body and only his eyes were left. Once, Sharyati, along with his army and household, came to visit the place. Sukanya, daughter of king Sharyati, seeing only two bright eyes in what seemed to be an anthill, poked them with a stick. Chyavana felt excessive pain and became furious. He obstructed the calls of nature of Sharyati's army. He was pleased only after the king gave him his daughter in marriage. Subsequently, the Ashvins came to the hermitage of Chyavana. They saw Sukanya while she was bathing, and tried to convince Sukanya to reject old and ugly Chyavana and accept one of them as her husband. They also promised to restore the youth of Chyavana first so that she could make an unbiased choice amongst Chyavana and one of them. Sukanya rejected their proposal and informed Chyavana. Later, at the behest of Chyavana, Sukanya requested the Ashvins to do so. All three took bath in the lake and came out with the same youthful divine look. Each of them requested Sukanya to be his bride, but she identified Chyavana and selected him. In gratitude, Chyavana assured the Ashvins that he would ensure that the Ashvins get their share of the sacrificial offerings. Accordingly, Chyavana, while officiating as a priest of Sharyati in a soma sacrifice, offered the share of the sacrifice to the Ashvins.

objected to this, stating that as mere servants of the devas, they have no right to receive offering of Soma juice. When the sage ignored his opinion, he tried to hurl his

(thunderbolt) towards Chyavana, but his arms were paralysed by Chyavana before he could do so. Chyavana, by virtue of his ascetic energy, created a huge asura, Mada, with four fangs. Mada was on the point of devouring Indra, when he became afraid, and finally accepted the right of the Ashvins to have a share of the offerings.

Chyavana and Kushika

In a narrative found in the ''Anushasana Parva'' (Ch.52-56) of the Mahabharata, Chayvana exacted many menial offices from king Kushika and his queen for 21 days. Later, he was pleased by their devotion and rewarded them by creating a magical palace of gold and predicting the birth of their grandson endued with great energy, Vishvamitra, who would attain the status of a

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

Hermitage

According to the

(Patala Khanda, Ch.8), his hermitage was on the Satpura Range, near the river '' Payoshni''. According to another tradition, his hermitage was in Dhosi Hill in the Vedic State of Brahmavarta, near Narnaul in

Mahendragarh district Mahendragarh district is one of the 22 districts of Haryana state in northern India. The district occupies an area of 1,899 km² and has a population of 922,088 (2021census). District have 4 Sub-divisions : Narnaul, Mahendragarh, Nangal ...

.Bhargava, Sudhir (20–22 November 2009). Location of Brahmavarta and Drishadwati river is important to find earliest alignment of Saraswati river. Saraswati river – a perspective. organised by: Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan, Haryana. Kurukshetra: Kurukshetra University. pp. 114–117

References

{{Authority control Rishis